Classroom management

Rewriting teacher’s instructions

Read through the sample instructions. Evaluate every sample from three aspects:
 difficulty of language (is it easy enough? are the sentences short enough?);
 information included (is all the information included necessary?);
 order of the instructions (is the order of the instructions logical?).

Sample 1

Today you are going to work in pairs. You will get a picture which is a bit different from
your partner’s picture. Take turns in describing your picture to your partner who needs to
listen and draw the missing parts to his/her picture. If your partner says a correct missing
thing, then say whether he/she is right or not.
Later we will put the pictures on the wall.

- The language used is easy and some sentences could be shorter “Take turns in
describing your picture to your partner who needs to listen and draw the missing
parts to his/her picture” “If your partner says a correct missing thing, then say
whether he/she is right or not”. There are many different tenses so too much grammar
for an explanation for young learners.
- All the information is necessary except from the last sentence, but there is a lack of
information.
- The order is logical.
- Teacher should ask if they understand the instructions.

Sample 2

1. We’re going to do a pair work task to practise prepositions.

2. I’m going to give two different pictures to each pair.
3. Don’t show your pictures to your partners.
4. Describe where things are in your picture, so your partner can realise what is
different in his or her picture.
5. You must agree with your partner about the differences.
6. When something is different, draw it in your picture.
7. Does everyone understand?

Lorena Vidal Salvador

 8. The teacher hands out the pictures.
9. When a pair is ready they can look at each others’ pictures and after that put
their pictures on the wall.

- The language used is easy and the sentences short enough.

- Sentences 1, 5, 8, 9 are not necessary.
- The order is logical.
- Instead of asking Does everyone understand? it would be better to ask a student to
repeat the instructions in L1.
- There are many different tenses so too much grammar for an explanation for young
learners

Sample 3

Now we are going to do an activity to practise prepositions. You get a piece of paper and
you should keep it a secret. Some papers are labelled with letter A, others with letter B. You
have to describe where the things are in your picture to your partner. Your partner has to
find what’s different from your picture. Draw the missing things in your picture. I pair you
up and you sit next to your partner. Start your activity!

- The language used is easy (except the verb to be labelled) and the sentences short
enough.
- The next sentences are not necessary: “Now we are going to do an activity to practise
prepositions” “Some papers are labelled with letter A, others with letter B”
- The sentence “I pair you up and you sit next to your partner” should be at the
beginning.
- There are many different tenses so too much grammar for an explanation for young
learners.

Sample 4

OK, children, we’re going to do an activity to practise prepositions. I’ll give everyone a
piece of paper. Describe to your partner where the things are in the picture. When you find
something different, draw it in your picture. Don’t show the pictures to your partner. Pair
up with the person next to you.
(The papers will be given after the instructions.)
Lorena Vidal Salvador
 - The language used is easy and the sentences short enough.
- The next sentence is not necessary: “we’re going to do an activity to practise
prepositions”
- She should say “Pair up with the person next to you” at the beginning, as well as
“Don’t show the pictures to your partner”, that should be after “I’ll give everyone a
piece of paper”.
- In the second sentence, they should say a picture instead a piece of paper.
- The teacher should ask if they understand the instructions.

Sample 5

1. We’re going to do an activity to practise prepositions.

2. I’m giving you all a piece of paper, but don’t show it to your partner.
3. You have different pictures.
4. Describe things in your picture to your partner, so that your partner can see what’s
different in his/her picture.
5. When you find something different, draw it in your picture.
6. Set pairs. Sit opposite your partner. Handing papers to children.
7. Is there anyone who didn’t understand?
8. Let’s start.

- The language used is easy (avoid going to) and the sentences short enough.
- The next sentences are not necessary: “We’re going to do an activity to practise
prepositions”, “You have different pictures”
- The order is logical.
- In the second sentence, they should say a picture instead a piece of paper.
- We should hand the pictures after knowing that they understand.
- The question sounds aggressive, we should make it softer and nicer.

Lorena Vidal Salvador